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And at the same time inform'd them He proposed to appoint Richard
Henderson Esq^ the other Associate and desired their Opinion thereon.
It is the Unanimous Opinion of this Board, that the said three Gentle-men
are properly Qualified for their Several Offices.
His Excellency also acquainted this Board that He had received an
Address from the Assembly requesting Him to issue a Writ for the
Election of a new Member for the County of Anson in the room of John
Crawford^ who had resign'd his Seat. Which Address appearing to him
unprecedented, He desired the Opinion of this Board whether it woud
[sic] not be Advisable to receive His Majestys Instructions thereon.
It is their Opinion that His Excellency shoud [sic] defer Issuing the
Writ until the Kings Pleasure be known.
North Carolina
This may Certify that the Aforegoing is an Exact Copy of the Council
Journals, taken from the Council Journals Lodged in the Secretarys
Office of this Province
Ben. Heron Sec.
Secretarys Office
March 12. 1768
'Stephen Dewey, native of England, as Tryon noted, represented Prince George
County, Virginia, in the Virginia assembly, 1752-1754, and for a time was attorney
general for Charles City County. In North Carolina he was held in high esteem by
Governor Dobbs, and in 1760 and 1761 he represented the borough of Bath in the
assembly. Dewey in 1761 acquired land in Dobbs County and in 1768 was appointed
judge advocate for the District of New Bern. Saunders, Colonial Records, VI, 247, 280,
364-368, 410, 414, 578, 621, 632; VII, 690, 698.
2 Versions used in MH-CJ, 425, A&H-TLB, 377, and CR-VII, 690, have the name Peter,
not Patrick. This was the Patrick Duff Gordon, Scottish-born attorney, who moved to
America in 1757. He changed his name from Patrick Gordon Duff at that time because it
was said he had wasted the estate of some minors to whom he was guardian. Gordon was
elected to the assembly in 1766 but the election was contested and Gordon was not
seated. Gordon, who also held the position of judge of the vice-admiralty court, died in
1773 leaving a widow and three young children. For further verification of this man see
Craven County Estate Records, 1745-1945, file on Patrick Gordon, N.C. State Archives.
^This matter is discussed in a letter from Tryon to Shelburne, March 5, 1768. John
Crawford's resignation was prompted by his poor health. Lord Hillsborough was disturbed
that the resignation had been accepted, since "there is no precedent of a Member re-signing
his seat in Parliament; and as the Usages and Precedents of the House of
Commons are the Rules adopted by the Assembly of North Carolina, the House appears to
have been mistaken in accepting the Resignation of Mr. Crawford, and your forbearing to
issue a Writ for a new Election till you could receive instructions from Home was well
judged." Saunders, Cobnial Records, VII, 788.
33

And at the same time inform'd them He proposed to appoint Richard
Henderson Esq^ the other Associate and desired their Opinion thereon.
It is the Unanimous Opinion of this Board, that the said three Gentle-men
are properly Qualified for their Several Offices.
His Excellency also acquainted this Board that He had received an
Address from the Assembly requesting Him to issue a Writ for the
Election of a new Member for the County of Anson in the room of John
Crawford^ who had resign'd his Seat. Which Address appearing to him
unprecedented, He desired the Opinion of this Board whether it woud
[sic] not be Advisable to receive His Majestys Instructions thereon.
It is their Opinion that His Excellency shoud [sic] defer Issuing the
Writ until the Kings Pleasure be known.
North Carolina
This may Certify that the Aforegoing is an Exact Copy of the Council
Journals, taken from the Council Journals Lodged in the Secretarys
Office of this Province
Ben. Heron Sec.
Secretarys Office
March 12. 1768
'Stephen Dewey, native of England, as Tryon noted, represented Prince George
County, Virginia, in the Virginia assembly, 1752-1754, and for a time was attorney
general for Charles City County. In North Carolina he was held in high esteem by
Governor Dobbs, and in 1760 and 1761 he represented the borough of Bath in the
assembly. Dewey in 1761 acquired land in Dobbs County and in 1768 was appointed
judge advocate for the District of New Bern. Saunders, Colonial Records, VI, 247, 280,
364-368, 410, 414, 578, 621, 632; VII, 690, 698.
2 Versions used in MH-CJ, 425, A&H-TLB, 377, and CR-VII, 690, have the name Peter,
not Patrick. This was the Patrick Duff Gordon, Scottish-born attorney, who moved to
America in 1757. He changed his name from Patrick Gordon Duff at that time because it
was said he had wasted the estate of some minors to whom he was guardian. Gordon was
elected to the assembly in 1766 but the election was contested and Gordon was not
seated. Gordon, who also held the position of judge of the vice-admiralty court, died in
1773 leaving a widow and three young children. For further verification of this man see
Craven County Estate Records, 1745-1945, file on Patrick Gordon, N.C. State Archives.
^This matter is discussed in a letter from Tryon to Shelburne, March 5, 1768. John
Crawford's resignation was prompted by his poor health. Lord Hillsborough was disturbed
that the resignation had been accepted, since "there is no precedent of a Member re-signing
his seat in Parliament; and as the Usages and Precedents of the House of
Commons are the Rules adopted by the Assembly of North Carolina, the House appears to
have been mistaken in accepting the Resignation of Mr. Crawford, and your forbearing to
issue a Writ for a new Election till you could receive instructions from Home was well
judged." Saunders, Cobnial Records, VII, 788.
33